Every now and then, I get these aching pangs in my heart for those people in my life whom I've loved but for some reason or another have decided no longer to love me back. It's not that I yearn for what used to be; I mourn what is. I mourn because God has given me a heart that cares and just can't stop. But other people are different. Some people can stop loving, and can stop caring. The latter is almost worse. The opposite of love isn't hate, it's apathy. Apathy from someone you love kills you on the inside.

When these times come along, I'm always reminded that this is how God must feel about us. God aches and yearns to be loved by us. God "groans in labor pains" for us to be His or Her children. And it's in these moments that I realize, it's not that I want a person to love me in a specific way. I just want that person to love me. In her or his own authentic way. And I think God feels the same way. God wants us to love him/her - not in one specific way, be it Catholic or Orthodox or Protestant, but in our hearts. I think God would be so happy if we just said, simply, "I love you too."